Pyrophoric lighter



Oct. 11, 1949. w. 1. NlssEN PYROPHORIC LIGHTER Filed Jan. 23, 1947 lill/1t 6 vlNvENToR m auf, m 1, ATTRNl-:Ys

Patented Oct. 11, :1949

2,484,579 PYaorHoRIc LIGHTER Warren I. Nissen, Newark, N. J., assigner to Ronson Art Metal Works, Inc., Newark, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey VApplication January 23, 1947, Serial No. 723,861

Claims.

This invention relates to pyrophoric lighter mechanisms of the'type utilizing a removable torch'which servesv also asa contact piece for the actuating mechanism.,

lThe invention hasparticular reference to 4improvements'providing simplicity of construction, facilityand economyin manufacture and assemblage of the parts and also' providing a rugged dependable mechanism.

Various other objects, advantages and features of .the invention will become apparent from the following .detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, in section, showing a pyrophoric lighter embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken along the line 2'-2 of Fig. 1; v

Figs. 3 and 4 are partialviews of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 but with the operating parts shown in intermediate positions during the operating cycle;

Fig. 4a is a front elevational view of certain parts ofA themechanism shown in Figs. -3 and 4; Fig. 4b is an enlarged side elevational viewv partly in perspective further illustrating the three-legged spring shownin Figs. 1-4 inclusive; and f Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 vbut showing certain modifications and with certain parts of the device omitted for purposes ofclarity.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2; the embodiment illustrat'edv comprises a casing or shell portion I in which is positioned a body or tank designated in general as 2 and providing a vreservoir for the fuel, a unitary spark-producing mechanism designated in general as 3, a cover plate designated in general as 4 and a removable torch designated in general as v5. Since the unitary pyrophoric mechanism 3 and its cooperative relationship with the remaining parts are salient features of the invention this unit will now be y described. l

Spark-producing The unit 3 comprises a main framewhich pro-` I4 which is pivotally journaled about a pin; l5 supported in the side arms of the frame member 6. This segment I4 is engaged at itsvrearvby, an end I6 of a power spring I ,1 which isalso provided with another end I8 whose rear face is engaged by one end of an actuating lever. I9 journaled on the pivot I5 and whose forward end extends inwardly (see also Fig. V4er) and is freely disposed beneath an actuating .plunger 2Dwh ich is freely slidably guided in holes provided in the vertically spaced horizontal frame plates or arms 2I-22 which are integral with the U member larged view in Fig. 4b, fromwhich it will bemore clearly seen that the end I 6 is'the rearwardly extending end of a helical coil |612 whose other end also extends upwardly and rearwardly where it is sharply looped to provi-de the springend I8 and then continues rdownwardly where' it forms the continuation of a larger helical coil 25aI of slightly more than one complete loopprovided with a free forwardly and upwardly extending end 25. A trigger 23-isjsuitabl'y pi'votally journaled on the U member 6 for movementabout a.V

pivot 24. The upper end 'of v'the trigger 23 is disposed for cooperativeV locking engagement with the segment I4 (Fig. 3), and is biased into such engagement by the portion 25 ofthe springll,

and the opposite or forwardly 'extending v'end vof l the trigger 23 extends inwardly toward but.

spaced from the inwardly extending end'of lever I9 and is likewise disposed in the path of downward movement of the actuating plunger"20 so as to be actuated thereby; allin the manner and for the purpose to be more particularly pointed out hereinafter under operation.v

A tube 2s passes through'thebase 1 ofthe' u member B and through the'inner end-ofv the upper horizontal plate 2I and is rigidly sevzcuredf,y as by welding, to these two memberslso as* to form an integral part of thevfr'ame 'structurelf The upper end of theI tube A26 is disposed immediately beneath the abrade'ntwheel I0 so as to hold a piece of pyrophoric Vmetall such as, 2'I`, in cooperative position 'thereagainsh andsaid metal is adapted to be urged against s'aid'wheel by a suitable compression spring'28 whose lower .tli .plunger 5.

end is engaged by screw 29 which is threadingly engaged interiorly of the tube 21.

Body

The body 2 comprises the tank or reservoir for 5 holding the lighter fluid and in the present embodiment is provided with a, bottom flange 33 providingca ,hase E.portion for grlgaginggthe shell housing lira aeent it'sncwer endi: .The tarrkge; provided 7tvh a passage 3| extending there- 10 through for receiving the tube 26. The tank ishik further provided with a suitable compartment or cage 32 for holding a felt sleeve or reservoirlvvick 33, in the manner Well knownto those s lfrilledfinw the art, to the end that fuel"within"thetankl passes from the cotton or the' like brous material-f. 34, which is contained in said tank, throughthe opening of the bottom of cage-v32andintoftheffelt member 33 from which it is picked up by thewipk 1, of torch 5 in the manner-.well understood in the art. 'Ihe receptaclebr cage 32 carries suitably. sevtulfed 'ri'jtl'ieiupper fend thereof a bushing 3 5 "so that@theiflqusl'rr'lgi 'iS al rigid )part fof the 'tank 2; The bushin-'SSistin'trirly threaded ,tdreeeve i thelwerf-fthreaded end 'off'ai tubular member'jor sleeve#Swhoseffupperifendis provided Withtan exteriori rrrgee-31y i' s'o @spaced frorn" the lower threaded :fendi as=to-holdfthe @shellv or casing 1| clampedfit1tni'een'=theeover'A plate 4 and the tank" flngef -Tle sleeve' *3 6' fjpasses freely through registeredlopeningsprovided in the 'frame plates orlfanmsgZl-@Z Qfiriit'ftojassist in the align ment -onthe unit lw'ithrespect jto` `the tank. T6 furtherjas'sistiiproperly r ejgi ste'ri ng'unitl 3 with respecte' to the tankZ `a 1`id fholding the parts' in alignmentthe :top of theta-nk; is provided with .a tlieesidedi socket or fsaddle J'c :oinprising an'fend .Qeon' e l.; With the' parts arranged as above `describedfthe device. -.is Aopexjated by f withdrawing the torchsl 65. and. gaging itsflower endcorrpinwithinlthe# UPQfIEQCIQSS-Fend .'Offthe actuating p111ngen20 if and pigessiriggiownrpn saidplunger. .This vcauses A inovefthe actuatingulevfer I lllinffy a-cloclgwisedireetion (Fg. ,3)`f which :movesthe- 70" Spl'ilg. @Qdi 8p inaatjclockwise direction causing il the, spring-,td yhe tensitzgned ,against fthe segment l" I4 ;'f the eglnent at this time being*I anchored?` stroke the free forward end of the trigger 23 is also engaged by the plunger 20 (Figs. 4 and 4a) to rotate it in a clockwise direction against the action of the spring end 25 and thereby causing it to release the segment I4 (Fig. 4) thus causing the energy stored in the spring I'1 to be released to drive the segment I4 in a clockwise direction., and-, ,th ereby tocause the rotation of the wheelf I Il an antif-jclqckwisef direction. Sparks from the pyrophoric metal piece 21 are 1tl'ugreby ejected forwardly against the wick on the lower end of the torch 5 to cause the fuel #carried-thereby to be ignited. Upon raising the torch and .,releasingpressure from the upper end actuating pltig .2 the plug is returned to neurtrainposition;-fpiegtlie adjacent end of lever I9 'which is rotated in an anti-clockwise direction by -:the-Hspring|1.""#Thelitrigger 23, driving segment I Land pinion I2 and associated ratchet clutch aremlikw'ise returned to normal position. It Willtherefore. beseen maths/the arangemeetand construtorr' abb/Ye sdescribtd aslfl'l `SD lig-- serves as 'a'meaeaifofstorine energy tidrY sparking'wheelandfor rem rnjngtl-ieparts,v luding the ,actuatinepluneer 12 tank. It swimsuits @be seen thatitheupit s' s centered in-position *on-thetankZ byfinean'sjof ther bushing f4 5l'and byti'ghtening up-'the Vlgfiishijng 5' 45 the tube 26' acts as a tension mernbe'rt`- ihold the unit 3' in seated engagement with the top of the tank2", entirelyindependent of the Sleeve 3,6 Weigh .Serves t0 .separately held-the cover 4' and' "casing 'I 'fito 1 the tankgZ f'. 'l

yHaving thusjdesfed theginventionwith,par-= rticularity with re rence t certain preferred--. frnisitwill'be u nyief` tpd by those Sgkllled ,inthe art after understndirigQthe Aini/:en tfitini that chaneesand'medie msu e Irlerle-ftherein-f4 ,without ,degenen naar bliespi .,iidajpeeftre-e einvention4 and/it 'is"intendd "iz'i' the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

W'hat I claim ist 1. In a pyrophoric ligl'iter the combination of a body providing a fuel reservoir, a unitary assemblage spark-producing mechanism having a base seated on and supported by said body, said assemblage and body being provided with cooperating portions in intertting engagement holding said parts in angular register, said unitary assemblage also comprising a tubular holder for pyrophoric metal and extending downwardly through said body, a bushing nut screwthreaded onto the lower end of said holder and clamping said reservoir body and unit assemblage together, a casing, a cover plate for said casing, and a tension member holding said cover plate in position on said casing.

2. A unitary pyrophoric spark-producing mechanism, for use in a lighter of the touch tip type, comprising a supporting frame, an abradent wheel rotatably mounted on said frame, a holder adapted to urge a piece of pyrophoric metal against said Wheel, a power spring having one leg rotating said wheel, a drive train connecting said spring and wheel, a lever for storing energy in said spring, a trigger for controlling the release of said energy, and a reciprocal plunger freely slidably journaled in said frame and disposed in operative non-yielding engagement with said lever for effecting the working stroke of said wheel rotating parts, said power spring having a second leg providing the restoring force for eiecting the return stroke of said lever and the return of said plunger to neutral position.

3. A unitary pyrophoric spark-producing mechanism, for use in a lighter of the touch tip type, comprising a supporting frame, an abradent wheel rotatably mounted on said frame, a holder adapted to urge a piece of pyrophoric metal against said Wheel, a power spring having one leg for rotating said wheel, a drive train connecting said spring and wheel, a lever for storing energy in said spring, a trigger for controlling the 4. A unitary pyrophoric spark producing mechanism, for use in a lighter of the touch tip type, comprising a supporting frame, an abradent wheel rotatably journaled near the top of said frame, a holder adapted to urge a piece of pyrophoric metal against said wheel, a threelegged power spring providing one leg for rotating said wheel, a drive train connecting said spring and wheel, a lever in engagement with a second leg of said spring for storing energy in said spring, a trigger for controlling the release of said energy and engaged by the third leg of said spring, and a reciprocal plunger freely slidably journaled in said frame and disposed in operative engagement with said lever for eiecting the working stroke of said wheel rotating parts, said power spring being constructed and arranged to provide the sole restoring force for effecting the return stroke of said parts.

5. Pyrophoric spark-producing mechanism comprising a supporting frame, an abradent wheel rotatably mounted on said frame, a holder adapted to urge a piece of pyrophoric metal against said wheel, a three-legged power spring providing one leg for rotating said wheel, a drive train connecting said spring and wheel, a lever engaging a second leg of said spring for storing energy in said spring, a portion of said spring between said rst and second legs being interposed between said lever and said drive train, a trigger for controlling the release of said energy and engaged by the third leg of said spring, and a reciprocal plunger disposed for direct engagement with said lever for eiecting the working stroke of said parts, said power spring being constructed and arranged to provide the sole restoring force for effecting the return stroke of said drive train, said lever, said trigger and said plunger to neutral position.

WARREN I. NISSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Apr. B0, 1931 

